It is known generally to draw trailers with a tow bar. In the aviation industry, for example, trailered ground power units and other trailers are frequently coupled to a towing vehicle by a tow bar. It is also known in this and other applications to pivotally couple the tow bar to a steering arm of the trailer to permit positioning the tow bar between raised and lowered positions. The tow bar is generally lowered to a substantially horizontal position for coupling to the towing vehicle, and raised to a generally vertical position to eliminate any obstruction posed thereby and to facilitate stowage thereof when not coupled to the towing vehicle.
Prior art tow bars have the disadvantage that, when lowered, the tow bar tends to pivot downwardly until an end thereof strikes the ground. It is undesirable for the tow bar to contact the ground as the tow bar may become damaged, particularly the end portion thereof that hitches to the towing vehicle. In addition, if dropped, the tow bar can cause injury to an operator's foot.
When being connected to the towing vehicle, the tow bar must be raised upwardly from the ground. Raising the tow bar and bearing the weight of the tow bar during alignment with the vehicle hitch is inconvenient, and in some applications may require substantial physical exertion.
It would be desirable produce a tow bar assembly where the force required to raise the tow bar is minimized.